Dr. Andrew Huberman: How to Raise Your Pain Threshold

Expectation and circadian timing shift your pain threshold dramatically; cold immersion speed, dopamine, and acupuncture all modulate the pain-pleasure axis.

Andrew Hubermanhost

Jun 19, 202532mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: June 19, 2025
Duration: 32m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explore the sensations of pain and pleasure, explaining how they are sensed in the body and interpreted by the brain as well as methods to control their intensity. I discuss both the hardwired mechanisms and subjective factors that shape an individual’s perception of pain and pleasure. I also explain why pain thresholds vary from person to person and discuss various treatments for pain management such as acupuncture and supplements. Finally, I explain the role of key neurochemicals like dopamine and serotonin in mediating our experience of pain and pleasure. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/NiHdOrb Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/xmhsWAqP_0Y?si=uqKQb1YZDs4jb56I Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Pain & Pleasure 00:00:39 Skin, Appetitive vs Aversive Behaviors 00:02:10 Skin, Neurons & Brain 00:04:46 Brain Interpretation, Homunculus, Two-Point Discrimination Test 00:07:43 Pain & Pleasure, Subjective Interpretation 00:09:53 Tool: Pain & Expectation 00:11:31 Pain Threshold 00:13:09 Heat & Cold, Tool: Moving into Cold or Hot Environments 00:15:00 Subjective Pain, Psychosomatic, Fibromyalgia, Whole Body Pain, Acetyl-L-carnitine 00:19:17 Acupuncture, Electroacupuncture, Pain Management 00:22:07 Red Heads & Pain Threshold, Endorphins 00:24:02 Improving Pain Threshold, Dopamine 00:25:30 Pleasure, Dopamine, Serotonin; Depression, Anti-depressants 00:29:41 Pleasure & Pain Balance, Dopamine, Addiction 00:31:37 Recap & Key Takeaways Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman, Dr. Andrew Huberman: How to Raise Your Pain Threshold explores mastering Pain And Pleasure: Practical Neuroscience For Everyday Resilience Andrew Huberman explains how pain and pleasure sit on a shared biological continuum, starting in the skin’s sensory neurons and ultimately being interpreted and modulated by the brain.

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